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Johann while helping Pusinboots pin the Shogun, transforms back into his normal self to properly deliver the ultimatum.
"WHERE IS THE FOX! WE WANT HIM HERE, NOW, UNHARMED. AND IF YOU KNOW THE PERSON WHO PUT THE BOUNTY ON HIS HEAD, WELL... THAT BOUNTY MUST BE REMOVED. IMMEDIATELY! OR I WILL TEAR YOUR HEAD OFF. UNLESS THE CAT GETS YOU FIRST!"
Habiba: Round 1
She casts See Invisibility on herself.
Round 2:
She feels as though she didn't get quite enough use out of her last casting of the spell, and begins summoning a rain of frogs again.
"Your time is over Ashikaga Shogun. I cannot forgive you for how you have treated my people. Less so now it is known you are an evil shapeshifting Oni. Tell the man about his friend and we will make your banishment swift and painless."
"Your time is over Ashikaga Shogun. I cannot forgive you for how you have treated my people. Less so now it is known you are an evil shapeshifting Oni. Tell the man about his friend and we will make your banishment swift and painless."
[dice=Untrained Intimidate gogogo]1d20+7
Finally recognizing Abe no Toshiro, the unseen Shogun quakes, pinned beneath Bear and Cat...
So! It is you, Abe no Toshiro... Come to avenge "your" people... I thought they were MY people, to do with as I pleased... But I can see that you have a different opinion... and considering the advantage you have over me, I suppose I must concede... As for this "friend" you speak of, I must assume you are referring to the kitsune? He is a friend of yours, or perhaps of your companions? Take him! Though I doubt my jorogumo will readily part with her "beloved"... HOHOHOHOHO!! The invisible ogre mage laughs evilly...
Mwikali activates her Tongues hex and looks to the Bone devil.
"I will agree, I doubt a blade through your skull would regenerate? Or maybe your heart? If not I am sure chopping you up Into smaller pieces and feeding you to fish pigs and the like would make it even harder? Depends on which method you prefer" Ihrin says looking at the Osyluth then to the invisible burning Oni.
At the top of the tower, Orpheus sighs and hangs his little head...
I have failed you, Mister Fox! Hopefully, your friends will rescue you... Your imprisonment has been a dreadful catalyst for change, Mister Fox... You are not the same kitsune you were before... No more will you use magic to trick and deceive... But your body, mind, and spirit have been tempered in the crucible of the gods, dear Mister Fox! Fear not! For what the gods have stripped away from you, they have also replaced with strength and martial skill! I must leave now, and return to Mount Olympus to report to my patron, Apollo. He favors you, you know, Mister Fox! Even if you worship the Christ instead. He favors all musicians and heroes like yourself! Farewell, Mister Fox. May you escape this evil fate, and go on many more adventures worth singing about!
That said, the thrush bows to Fox before flying away to the west...
Though his lips and tongue make no motion due to the influence of the jorogumo's magic, in his spirit the Fox replies:
But it was I who failed you, Orpheus. You must go and live on. Go on to serve better masters than me.
The Fox continues to look calm and relaxed where he reclines on the bed, but those who are sharp of eye just might catch the glint of a tear.
"I will agree, I doubt a blade through your skull would regenerate? Or maybe your heart? If not I am sure chopping you up Into smaller pieces and feeding you to fish pigs and the like would make it even harder? Depends on which method you prefer" Ihrin says looking at the Osyluth then to the invisible burning Oni.
[dice=Intimidate]1d20+10
No!! Please!! Do not torment me!!
"OR... you can give him to the fey, and we will take him to the land of dream and Myth. There to be the evil that is always beaten, the dark that is always meet with light. The storm that is broken with good hearts and deeds."
Now Lord P, smiles an evil smile at the Shogun.
"There forever held in the tails of this land."
He flies up and moving his hands a doorway comes into being, through it can be seen the bright ways, an evener changing place or myth and legend.
"Choose shogun, death in the guts of a pig or enter the land of myth forever."
Japanese to the oni: I will happily assist you in performing seppuku, if you cannot choose either dishonorable option, Ashikaga Yoshinori Shogun...
"Now choose Shogun!, the history books or the story books."
Lord P says unusually grim for once.
The oni, overwhelmed with despair, chooses bitter pride, madness, and scorn for his enemies... He shouts in Japanese: BONE DEVIL!! I RELEASE YOU FROM SERVICE!! ... I REVOKE THE BOUNTY ON THE BLOODY KITSUNE TOSHIO OKUMURA!!...
Becoming visible as a giant, blue-skinned fiend with large, yellow eyes and horns, Ashikaga Yoshinori Shogun Ogre Mage, struggling against the great Bear and PusInBoots, manages to draw a large ceremonial wakizashi from its scabbard at his side and turns the blade upon his own abdomen...
With a roar of rage and despair, the oni plunges the sword blade into its own belly! It gruesomly slits its own gut open and then pulls the blade upward to slice in halves its own evil heart! With a roar of agony, the ogre mage dies...
Lord P looks down at looks down at the dead Mage, then goes over to the Door way he made and says,
"I best go check on the Dragon, I'll try to be back soon"
With that he enters the door and then he and it are gone.
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Then just as the door to the fey lands go, and as the evil mage takes his last breath, a flaming ring comes into being in the floor.
From out of it rises a Angel with black wings.
Standing some 8 feet tall, from wing tip to floor, she steps away from the wing which still burns.
Between her back hangs a large black blade. Her clothing is dark, her hear red.
In her hands she holds a scroll, she looks and over at the Bone Devil.
"You! You can use my gate to get home, you know the way"
Then she walks over to the dead mage looking down at it.
"Ashikaga Yoshinori Shogun, I am here to collect your soul. Please get up."
Her eyes move up as if following something. Then her lips move but no sound that the living can hear comes form them. She nods once and then taking a pen from her belt makes a mark on the scroll and folds it away, into a belt pouch much smaller than it, yet it fits.
Then seeming to be happy that something has been done, She smiles at them standing there.
"hello, and who are you lot then?"
The ring of fire in the floor closes with a wisp of Brimstone.
Rosa looks at Johann,
"Sorry, are you talking to me? We could go with introductions before exorcisms if you like."
She offers her hand to him.
"Rosa Luminass, lesser angel of death and you are?"
She is very well spoke in her English.
The devil disengages from the fight, teleporting away...
Ihrin blinks through it all, she was prepared to slay the beast and now, she was there standing and holding this strange blade in her hands. Then all of a sudden a familiar energy sprang I to being and she stared open jawed at a creature with an aura she had encountered before.
She made the symbol of the cross with her hand before kissing her charm. She felt her heart race and head head in sweat. Her body screamed a warning and yet there she was face to face with something familiar...The cold clutch of death.
Jorogumo arrives in time to witness the aftermath of the conflict, after the oni has committed seppuku and the bone devil teleports away. She decides to run while she still lives. Racing on her eight hairy spider legs, she flees from the Ghost Tower, never to return...
Mwikali pulls out the blade wipes it on the clothes of the shotgun and sheaths it. She raises one brow at the magic tossed about and then scowls in an inquisitive nature at the new arrival. As the others pains she simply clocks her head to clear the locks from her face." You are tall"
Nods
"Yes Sorry its the the Angel in me, and you are?"
"hello, and who are you lot then?"
Toshiro is visibly annoyed.
"Rude creature. You do not appear uninvited and ask others who they are. You introduce yourself first. It is the proper way."
Once she does so, he is slightly mollified, but the initial annoyance turns to suspicion.
"Why do you appear here and help the old Shogun's minion's escape?"
"Rosa Luminass, lesser angel of death and you are?"
"If what you say is true, it looks as though you were sent by Below." Habiba says, gesturing toward the literal Hellscape Rosa just came from. "Why would one of Satan's minions dare show her face to us?"
Bows deeply, and says in Japanese.
"I beg your humble pardon. I did not expect others to be here. My paperwork says the Shogun was to be assassinated any a Fox..Kin. Humm, so I was a little surprised to see you here. It seems someone has been braking some temporal laws. Which I will have to stay and investigate as I will need to write a report about this for head office. So you see that is why I have been asking your names. And I do believe I have introduced myself, would you like me to do it again?"
She bows once more.
"As for letting the Devil go home..."
She takes out the scroll once more.
"That's because it's due to meet it's end by the hand of its true master just about now, for failing here."
She looks at the scroll and nods, then puts it away.
She looks a little pained at this comment.
"I don't actuality work for Satan, as I said I am a lesser angel of death, I work for the angle of death and we collect for both Hell and Heaven. I just happen be collecting for down below this time. It's a paper work thing, the right procedure and all that."
She says with a tight grin.
" Dont care my Spirit will return to the land." She says as she leaves the room." Deal with this, I will find Ogun" She says a bit dispassionately to Christians
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Johann rolls his eyes at the strange interruption and growls. "I HAVE NO TIME FOR DEMON FOOLISHNESS. IF YOU ARE A FRIENDLY DEMON, SO BE IT, BUT THE FOX NEEDS ME NOW."
He resumes his bear shape and exits after Mwikali, quickly passing her, as he charges down the hallway, continuing to follow the scent of the Fox as best as he can.
"Johann Wait My human legs do not move that fast!!!!" She calls after him as she pulls up her dress and runs after.
Looks after them as they run off, then back at Abe no Toshiro.
"Well talk about rude"
She straitens off her clothing and slowly follows. Ducking so her wings can get under the door.
Looks after them as they run off, then back at Abe no Toshiro.
"Well talk about rude, Demon in deed."
She straitens off her clothing and slowly follows. Ducking so her wings can get under the door.
Ascending the stairs through the final three floors of the palace, the adventurers encounter only frightened geisha and other servants, who offer no resistance.
On the top floor, the scent of Fox draws them to an antechamber where Johann, leading the others on a mad rush through the palace, falls through a pit trap! he falls to a previously passed-through hall on the fourth floor, taking falling damage...
Outside his prison chamber, Ogon Fox hears the approach of a number of persons... momentarily interrupted by a startled and familiar roar as something large falls through a pit trap just outside his chamber...
Seeing Johann fall she stops and looks down."I do not think he is in the pit, however, I believe our magical Rope friend can help" She says getting out the magical rope and letting him aid them.
Ihrin stays quiet. Unlike the others she assumed she was the only one here who had died more than once, escaping the afterlife mysteriously. She instead begins to look over the Shoguns body, trying to ignore the death angel.
Comes up to the bear in a pit. Looking over at Mwikali.
Lowing a rope, and asks
"Do you need any help?"
Outside his prison chamber, Ogon Fox hears the approach of a number of persons... momentarily interrupted by a startled and familiar roar as something large falls through a pit trap just outside his chamber...
Johann tumbles down into the pit. After recovering his senses, he starts yelling.
"YOU BLASTED FOX, WHERE ARE YOU? YOU BETTER BE GRATEFUL THIS TIME, YOU BUFFOON!"
Shocked out of his relaxed state by the tumbling, crashing sound followed by the bellowing of a familiar voice, the Fox bolts upright. "Johann, is that you?"
Still feeling ill and shaken from his experience with the jorogumo, the Fox walks slowly over and opens the door to find Johann climbing up from the fourth floor via the magical rope that had been given by Rumplestiltskin, the rope made of Rapunzel's hair.
"I can't believe it! It is you, my friend!"
He is as shocked to see Mwikali, Ihrin, Habiba, and the fey. "You all were willing to come with him, for my sake?"
The Fox lowers himself to a kneeling bow (Dogeza) before all of you.
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Johann crawls out of the pit with help from his friends. "YOU DURN BLASTED..."... Johann takes a moment to compose himself. "Foxy, why did you disappear like that? Should have known it was your own fault and you went and got yourself captured. Why, I had half a mind to go seduce what's-her-name, but decided to be the bigger man and come looking for your sorry hide instead."
Johann crawls out of the pit with help from his friends. "YOU DURN BLASTED..."... Johann takes a moment to compose himself. "Foxy, why did you disappear like that? Should have known it was your own fault and you went and got yourself captured. Why, I had half a mind to go seduce what's-her-name, but decided to be the bigger man and come looking for your sorry hide instead."
"There is something about this cape, Johann." He stands back up. "It is not a normal cape of the mountebank, I don't think..."
Sees that all is in hand, and steps back a ways.
Takes out her scroll and writes something on it, Before tucking it away.
Then saying a few words and waving a hand, a flame filled ring in the floor opens, she steps into it and sinks from view, the ring closes after her.
There is a wif of sulphur and that is all that is left.
Leggo, ye big oaf!! I be a CURSED cape o' the mountebank, ken ye... Y'canno tear me off! OWCH!! A voice with a distinctly Irish brogue comes from the multicolored cape around Fox's neck...
Leggo, ye big oaf!! I be a CURSED cape o' the mountebank, ken ye... Y'canno tear me off! OWCH!! A voice with a distinctly Irish brogue comes from the multicolored cape around Fox's neck...
Then perhaps you can be cut free of our friend Fox, aye, cape? Hold it taut, Monsieur Le Bear...
Pusinboots raises Cat's Paw over the cursed cape...
Leggo, ye big oaf!! I be a CURSED cape o' the mountebank, ken ye... Y'canno tear me off! OWCH!! A voice with a distinctly Irish brogue comes from the multicolored cape around Fox's neck...Then perhaps you can be cut free of our friend Fox, aye, cape? Hold it taut, Monsieur Le Bear...
Pusinboots raises Cat's Paw over the cursed cape...
NAY!! STOP, YE BLASTED FOOL KITTY!!
NAY!! STOP, YE BLASTED FOOL KITTY!!Leggo, ye big oaf!! I be a CURSED cape o' the mountebank, ken ye... Y'canno tear me off! OWCH!! A voice with a distinctly Irish brogue comes from the multicolored cape around Fox's neck...Then perhaps you can be cut free of our friend Fox, aye, cape? Hold it taut, Monsieur Le Bear...
Pusinboots raises Cat's Paw over the cursed cape...
You are just magical cloth, silly cape! You shouldn't feel a thing! Now, hold still...
The Cat pretends to slash at the cape near Fox's neck, purring with mirth...
I jest, Mon ami! he says, sliding his magic rapier back into its scabbard at his side...
Then, looking around, he asks, Where did zee beautiful angel of death go? Searching high and low, he adds, Maybe she went with Lord Perpireen to check on zee underworld imperial dragon, no?
Ah! So good to see my old drinking partners once more, Monsieurs Bear et Fox! purrs the Cat... I shall scout ahead...
Dashing through the sliding doors at the far side of Fox's cell, PusInBoots enters the narrow hallway beyond... Turning a corner out of sight, he triggers a terrible trap!
*WWWWAAAAAAAAAAIIIIILLLLL!!!* The hideous kerning of a banshee echoes within the next chamber, and PusInBoots yowls in alarm! MEEEOOOOOWWWW!!!
A moment later, PusInBoots appears in the doorway, fur standing straight up, and says, All clear, Mon amis!
Passing through the narrow hall where the Cat's curiosity almost got him killed, the adventurers open the sliding ricepaper doors to the final chamber of the Ghost Tower of Flower Palace, into the Shogun's treasury...
This narrow, L-shaped chamber contains an unlocked oaken chest holding:
140 paper ch'ao notes worth 20 gp each
446 platinum yuan
733 gold tael
3 black pearls worth 500 gp each
9 white pearls worth 100 gp each
10 bloodstones worth 50 gp each
An iron chest (locked) with a three-symbol combination lock. Inside it is:
553 platinum yuan
1,088 gold tael
6 diamonds worth 1,000 gp each
6 potions of cure serious wounds
A large silk sack worth 25 gp itself contains:
30 pounds of rice worth 30 gp
On an ebony armor stand worth 200 gp itself is displayed a beautiful teal, aquamarine, and green dragonscale suit of samurai armor, +1 wild o-yoroi named Doragon'nouroko ("Scales of the Dragon")!
On an ebony sword stand worth 100 gp itself is displayed Barakuda, a +1 holy corrosive waveblade!
On another ebony sword stand, also worth 150 gp itself, are displayed Raitoningu ("Lightning"), a +1 keen shock katana and Tanjū ("Bile"), a +1 keen corrosive wakizashi
Resting on a satin pillow worth 10 gp itself is an amulet of natural armor +2 named "Bamboo Hide", coiled inside a headband of vast intelligence +4 (with associated skills Craft (alchemy) and Stealth) named Iga Wu Jen Headband
Resting on a marble podium is a drums of panic and sounding named The Oni Drums
Cinched about the waist of an ivory mannikin worth 300 gp itself is an ornately bejeweled belt of physical perfection +2 named Belt of Bushido; draped upon the same mannikin is a cloak of resistance +3 named Raifusēbā ("Lifesaver")
Just as the heroes enter the treasury of the Ghost Tower, they hear a jingle of bells, a clatter of hooves on the rooftop, and a jolly HOHOHO!! MERRY YULE TO ALL!! If you do not find a present tailored to you, do not despair! There's plenty of coal and cool generic items for you, too! HOHOHO!!
Then: On Rudolph!! On Dancer!! On Prancer!! On Donder!! On Blitzen!!... the rest lost as a magical sleigh is driven off the rooftop by thirteen tiny flying reindeer, piloted by a hysterically jolly (intoxicated on fly agaric mushrooms) avatar of Odin known as Sinterklaus...
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Johann's jaw drops when he sees the beautiful armor suit.
"OH I WANT THAT!" He tears off his (in comparison) rather lackluster hide armor and attaches the various buckles and straps to get the samurai armor on.
"LOOK AT ME! I'M AN EASTERNER! A GOOD SOUVENIR, DON'T YOU THINK, FOX? LOOK, ITS MADE OF DRAGONSCALE, NOT METAL! PERFECT. I NEVER WAS HAPPY IN METAL. IT HAS A DRAGON MASK ON IT!"